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While Stargate Command and the military decide Teal'c's fate, a nearly mature Goa'uld is slowly taking control of MajorCharles Kawalsky and with little time remaining, the only way to save him is by careful surgery to remove it but can it work or will the SGC lose one of their own forever?

In the SGC, Major GeneralGeorge S. Hammond, the commander of the officially-reopened Stargate Program and also Stargate Command is discussing the planets where SG-1 and SG-2 are when they come under attack from various Jaffa troops who are killed due to the fact that the iris remains shut.

Not willing to take any chances, Hammond also has the self-destruct set to three minutes and activated while various security guards aim their guns at the closed iris.

As this happen, MajorCharles Kawalsky begins experiencing a powerful headache that hasn't gone anyway despite Kawalsky taking aspirin. This is due to the fact that in the previous episode, Kawalsky wound up being
unknowingly infected by an infant Goa'uldsymbiote without anyone noticing. The Goa'uld had remained fairly dormant in him for a while due to its youth, but as it matures it begins to take control of Kawalsky, causing him to experience blackouts, during which the Goa'uld takes over his body.

During one blackout, Kawalsky's Goa'uld emerges and kills Dr.Nimzicki, the doctor who's on-call in the infirmary who had discovered the symbiote, and stands before the Stargate without doing anything with Kawalsky unable to remember anything.

In the meantime, Teal'c, who had recently come to Stargate Command, is questioned by ColonelMartin Kennedy of The Pentagon. He does not know the answers to their questions because the Goa'uld's technology is considered magic. However, he can tell them what he knows of Goa'uld culture. They rule by fear, and kill any who do not serve them. He also says there are a few like Apophis (the System Lords) who rule over many planets, but they would not be interested in peace. Many worlds fend for themselves and when they meet the Goa'uld, they are enslaved. It would take months for the Goa'uld to make ships to attack Earth since its impenetrable iris prevents invasion through the Stargate. The Goa'uld are few in number but strong and growing. He knew of a human race where everything started, the Tau'ri, the First Ones. Some became hosts, others became Jaffa and slaves. Yet their world was forgotten for centuries.

ColonelJack O'Neill stated that the Tau'ri are the people of Earth, the ones who sealed the Stargate. Now many worlds out there are seeded with the ancient peoples of Earth. Teal'c felt the Tau'ri are their best hope. The high-ranking officers decide to bring him to Washington D.C..

Once the SGC discovers that Kawalsky has a Goa'uld in him, they call upon the expertise of some medical experts for an attempt to remove the Goa'uld. Dr.William Warner discovers that it is wrapped tightly around his spinal cord, and removing it could either kill or paralyze Kawalsky. Teal'c also informs them that the Goa'uld will kill its host if attempts are made to remove it from him. As such, a suitable sedative must be found and applied to the symbiote before operation can begin.

Teal'c reveals that every Goa'uld has the genetic memory of those who came before it. Kennedy suggests convincing the symbiote to share that knowledge. However, Daniel realizes that the Goa'uld view them as an inferior race and will not tell them anything whatsoever. Kennedy wants the Goa'uld to be studied further, even going as far to state that they return the Goa'uld to where it came from via the Stargate and as a gesture of good faith which leaves Hammond enraged. As Kennedy goes against Hammond, stating that he should call his superiors, Hammond tells Kennedy that they're going to go ahead with the operation as long as there's a snowball's chance in Hell that Kalwasky will get through it.

Teal'c allows medical staff to perform controlled experiments on the larval Goa'uld that acts as his immune system until they find an effective sedative. They then use this and begin work on Major Kawalsky, who adamantly makes O'Neill promise that he'll kill him if the Goa'uld wins the battle for his body.

The operation appears to be successful. Afterwards, he requests a few moments with Teal'c alone to thank him for his help, but as soon as they are alone, Kawalsky's eyes glow and he grabs Teal'c by the neck. The Goa'uld, though mostly removed, had already bound itself to the host's brain and is in full control.

In control, the possessed Kawalsky sets the co-ordinates for Chulak and even triggers the self-destruct code, injuring the technician there who tries to stop him. The Goa'uld infested Kawalsky heads for the Stargate, only to find Teal'c standing on the ramp blocking his path.

They fight and struggle while O'Neill and Hammond try to shut down the Stargate. The Goa'uld pushes the struggle right up to the Stargate, and ends up getting the back of Kawalsky's head partially dipped into the event horizon.

O'Neill shouts to Teal'c to keep it restrained there; when they manage to shut off the device, the back of Kawalsky's head is gated away, effectively slicing it off and killing the symbiote instantly.

Teal'c gives O'Neill his condolences over his friend's death, though O'Neill says that Kawalsky died on the operating table before everyone walks off, leaving Kawalsky's body on the ramp.

Later, in Hammond's office, Colonel Kennedy is presumably given a dressing-down by the President as Jack and Hammond look on.

A few hours later, SG-1 are getting ready to ship out for their newest mission when Teal'c, now wearing the SGC uniform arrives in, informing Hammond that he is reporting for duty with Jack telling Teal'c to add a "Sir" which Teal'c does.

Hammond welcomes Teal'c aboard and Teal'c and Jack walk up to the ramp to join Sam and Daniel who are waiting for them.

SG-1 ready to embark on their first-ever mission as a four-man team.

For a second, SG-1, now officially a four-man team stand there, examining the Stargate before they head through the wormhole, ready to embark on their first ever mission as a four-man team thanks to Teal'c having finally been accepted as a member of both the SGC and SG-1.

O'Neill: You know, I'm kinda partial to P3A-575. You don't mind taking P3A-577, do you?Kawalsky: No, I'll take 577.O'Neill: I'm not married to it. I want to be fair about this. How 'bout we flip for it?Hammond: How about you go where I tell you.

Jackson: So this iris is gonna hold, right?Carter: Pure titanium less than three micrometers from the event horizon. It won't even allow matter to fully reintegrate.O'Neill: So this iris is gonna hold, right?Carter: If it doesn't, the fail-safe device will detonate, this whole mountain will vaporize and there'll be nothing to worry about.O'Neill: Ah, good! I feel much better.

Teal'c: I will pledge my allegiance to this world.O'Neill: I'm just not sure that's ever going to be enough for them to trust you. To be honest with you, I think they're scared of you.Teal'c: I understand.O'Neill: You must be used to that by now, huh?Teal'c: I am a Jaffa. I have served as a warrior for your enemy. I have carried your enemy within me.O'Neill: Yeah. Well it's kind of a human thing. We tend to be afraid of things we don't know.Teal'c: Why is O'Neill not afraid?O'Neill: Teal'c, I saw you stand up to a god. You refused to kill. I saw you make that decision.Teal'c: Yes.O'Neill: In that moment I learned everything I needed to know to trust you.

O'Neill: Permission to barge in, sir?

O'Neill: Listen, I gotta ask you something. It's not easy for me.Kawalsky: We're friends.O'Neill: If you don't make it... can I have your stereo?

Kennedy: I heard the operation was a big success, sir. Congratulations. I have my orders to return to Langley.Hammond: Don't let the door hit your ass on the way out.

At the end of the episode, CaptainSamantha Carter says, as SG-1 enters the gate, that "the MALP reports conditions on the planet are favorable." This marks the first time the word "MALP" is uttered in the series.

This is the first episode in which the people of Earth are identified as the Tau'ri.

This is the first episode to use the term "dialing" when referring to Stargate use.

The syndication airing to this episode is the first time the opening credits with the main cast of the show is used.

When Teal'c is first questioned by ColonelMartin Kennedy, his Jaffa mark is with the opening of the arch facing upward. When confronted by Kennedy to verify his symbiote is still in his symbiotic sack, Teal'c has his tattoo/branding upside down with the opening facing downward.